DID YOUR HEALTH PEAK IN YOUR 20s? Think again!

With a decade of personal training experience, I have worked with just about every age and ability from 11 to 83 years old and from wheelchair bound to marathon finishers. I often hear about the glory days of high school and college. I hear about how women want to squeeze into pre-pregnancy jeans and men want to lose the 12-pack of beers around their mid-section. I try to be encouraging as possible because it IS possible. Your body changes with each decade and it is imperative to "tweak" your lifestyle as you age so that you can retain your picture of health. 

Here's some helpful tips and information to consider if you're trying to relive your fittest years:

1. ADJUST YOUR CALORIC INTAKE EVERY FIVE YEARS. With every year that goes by, your metabolism slowly changes. It's important to remember that you can't eat like you're 20 years old for the rest of your life. Start cutting back on your portions. Even if you don't change your diet, calorie restriction can result in weight loss. If your diet is poor, just imagine if your diet changed AND you restricted your calories. 

2. FIND A ROUTINE ASAP. In your 30s and 40s, your growing family needs you. It is important to keep them in mind as you make choices that will affect your long-term health. Your schedule becomes demanding, so if you fit in exercise early in your family's evolution, you're more likely to prioritize eating well and working out as the schedule becomes more demanding.

3. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR PHYSICAL POTENTIAL IN YOUR 30s. Female aerobic endurance generally peaks in the middle 30s. If this is when you have chosen to have children, it's a great time to jump back into your fitness routine to take advantage of your potential.

4. CONTROL YOUR STRESS AND MOVE MORE. Your highest earning years are generally between 40 to 60 years old. This is also when job stress can be at its peak. Stress plays a significant role on your body's mechanics. If you're slaving away at your desk for long hours, your shoulders roll forward, and your back develops spinal flexion which can lead to chronic pain and noticeable long-term postural abnormalities. It's important to control your stress with adequate rest and physical activity.  A well-rounded program can help you divert those bad habits that result from sitting too much. A widely accepted new rule is for every 40 minutes you sit, you should spend the next 10 minutes standing.